Second Chances
by Sardonik
Summary: Kelly passes out and wakes up... in Sakura's body! Rated for language. ON HIATUS.
1. You have nothing without your health

**Author's note: Rated for language, though if I stick to Canon, I expect there to be a good deal of violence as well. I don't have any (non-canon) pairings planned yet. One character is OOC for, well, the purpose of the story.**

**Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear from ya. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called 'Gaara'. 'Nuff said.**

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_There are many methods of achieving immortality. Fame. Fortune. Heroic deeds. Creativity. Lots and lots of descendants. However, the one you should favor is Not Dying._

* * *

_Kelly walked slowly through the department store, not eyeing the clothing or the jewelry, or, for that matter, anything in the store. She wasn't walking slowly because she wanted to, or because she found it interesting. Kelly walked slowly because it hurt, and more importantly, if she didn't walk very carefully, she could fall, and injure herself, and then she wouldn't be able to get her manga. The next volume of Naruto was out, and she wanted to read it badly. She knew she was obsessed, and that it probably wasn't healthy to care so much about a glorified comic, but it beat being obsessed over her latest surgery or medicine adjustments. _

_Kelly felt a tightening in her chest and realized, too late, she'd walked through the perfume section rather then around it. Oh well. She had her inhaler, and besides, she just knew that she wasn't gonna die before the manga ended. It was a feeling she had, since the first volume she read. Naruto was special. The whole Naruto world was special. Kelly smiled and walked steadily forward. If hard work could overcome genius, then she could overcome this illness. Or at least stick around until the series was finished. She even smiled at the clerk, who smiled back and sprayed a sample of perfume in front of her._

_Oh, fudgsicles, Kelly thought, digging through her bag for her inhaler, trying to remain calm as the pain in her chest intensified a hundred times and she started to feel dizzy. Where was it? Oh, that's right._

_It was in her other purse._

* * *

She woke up in a hospital bed. Kelly knew she was in a hospital even before she opened her eyes because of the smell. No matter what kind of air filters you used, there was always a special quality to the smell. She sighed and opened her eyes. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid to-

There wasn't any pain! Kelly's eyes flew open and she looked at her arms. No iv's! But... something was wrong.

"Sakura-chan! You're awake!" A petite nurse swept into the room, smiling. "That bump on the head worried us for a while, you know."

Sakura-chan? Eh??? Kelly realized that there was a stray lock of... long... pink hair falling over one of her arms. Pink? Long? _Sakura-chan_? No way this was what she thought it was.

* * *

The next day, Kelly rubbed her eyes tiredly. This was all a little much, she thought, looking around the classroom. She recognized some of the students- Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Chouji... Ino. Said blonde had just entered the classroom, taken in the fact that Kelly had sat down between Naruto and Sasuke, and started walking towards her angrily. Kelly sighed, glancing at the dark-haired boy next to her. Sure, he _was_ really attractive. But in Naruto's defense, if he showered once in a while and didn't wear... orange... (Kelly shuddered inwardly) well, he wouldn't look too bad himself. His eyes were really pretty, after all, and his hair was a nice color. If only that horrible ramen smell stopped wafting over her direction.

Kelly looked down at her ninja manual and ignored Ino's tirade until she ran out of steam and sat down somewhere else with a huff. Kelly hadn't had much time to study after getting out of the hospital- they'd declared her perfectly healthy, she'd spent the night at her- no, Sakura's- house, and after a few hours of frantically studying Sakura's mom had reminded her of the ungodly hour class started and Kelly'd gone to bed. It had been a surprise to wake up in someone else's bed- someone who obviously really, really liked pink.

Now in class, she was wearing a black version of her red dress. She'd 'accidentally' ripped it that morning, and her mom had given her one of her black dresses she never wore. Underneath it was some light-weight chest armor, which had literally been gathering dust in the back of her- no, Sakura's- closet. Looking in the mirror, it was obvious why Sakura never wore it- it added inches to the waist, and took them from the chest. Not that Kelly cared, though. She was just happy to be healthy. To be- _able_ - to wear chest armor. In her past life, in her past body, she would have literally suffocated.

Manual, Kelly reminded herself, flipping through it to Bunshin no Jutsu. Unless she was remembering incorrectly, knowing that skill was going to make the difference between graduating or not. Kelly wasn't sure exactly what day it was, and she wasn't even sure she cared about following the plotline. Still. Knowing what was going to happen ahead of time could be pretty useful. Alright. Ram, Snake, Tiger. Cool. She already knew those ones. Alright. Time to go to the bathroom and try it out.

"Ne, Naruto-kun," Kelly smiled sweetly. "Would you save my seat next to you and Sasuke please? I'd hate to have mean old Ino-pig come steal my seat."

Naruto grinned, and Kelly realized he was planning something. "Sure thing, Sakura-chan!"

Kelly gritted her teeth. She was gonna develop an inner-Kelly with this nonsense. "**Both** of you guys, Naruto, one on either side," She said, firmly, then plastering her smile back on. "Thanks!"

Ino glared at Kelly as she stood up. Kelly ignored her, and brushed her hair out of her face for the umpteenth time that day. Ug. Stupid hair. She'd never understood why, oh why, Sakura had kept it long when it'd only been a rumour that Sasuke liked it long, and Ino had it long too. Obviously it was only fifty-fifty that he liked it long (if he even liked girls at all; even the canon wasn't clear on that). Kelly smirked, realizing that if Sakura returned to her body she might have a few things to say about it, and leaned in towards Sasuke, invading his personal space slightly with no trace of Sakura's normal girlishness. "Sasuke," She said, leaving off the freaking 'kun', "Is it true you like longer hair better than shorter hair?" Kelly smirked.

Sasuke looked up at Kelly with a look up mild disgust. Kelly grinned maliciously and leaned in towards his ear. "Or maybe you're just gay," she whispered before standing up straight, sneaking a look at the disturbed look on his face before skipping happily to the bathroom.

First things first. Getting rid of this.... ridiculous mass of hair. Kelly took out a kunai from her hip pouch and leaned over the trashcan, cutting it until it was slightly shorter than the Real!Sakura had cut it in the chuunin exams. A few pink strands landed on the floor and she picked them up, amazed at the grace she had in this body. She was shorter, and much skinnier, than in her 'real' body, so moving was a little different... but Kelly couldn't remember the last time she'd been able to bend over without being in pain or worrying about falling over. She'd certainly put up with having pink hair and a 12-year-old body to have her health.

Next! Her first justu! Kelly slowly formed the seals. Ram! Snake! Tiger! Kelly marveled at hands that she could move without being in pain. She couldn't move as quickly as she'd like, but she'd make it. She practiced the seals again a few times over again, not even bothering to try putting chakra into it yet. She wasn't stalling. Just... being cautious.

After the seventh time, Kelly admitted that she was stalling. Ok. Chakra. She knew the basic theory, right? No way she forgot! She'd only seen the show like a million times! Only, she tended to zone out during the technical explanations. Well, hey, it's not like she expected to ever have to *use* it!

Kelly sighed and formed the one-handed meditation seal. Focusing on the white-hot fount of life she knew she now possessed, she breathed in, visualizing her chakra, then breathed out, visualizing it raising to a usable level. It... felt like it was being raised. Well, only one way to find out. "Bunshin no jutsu!" She said, performing the seals and visualizing a clone of herself. Poof!

A pale, desperate-looking clone appeared and flopped on the floor, looking very beat up. Kelly raised an eyebrow. Well, it was good that it worked. But... there was no way in _hell_ she was going to embarrass herself with that in front of the class. She released the jutsu and tried again several times. She improved each time, but only slightly. She sighed at herself in the mirror and made to return to class, hoping today wasn't the day when Naruto defaced the Hokage heads and...

Oh, shit. It wasn't bunshin no jutsu that was the test that day. It was henge! And she hadn't practiced! Shit. She turned back to the mirror and realized she had _absolutely no idea_ what the hand seals for henge were. Well. It wasn't like you... _had_ to use seals, right? She formed the one-handed meditation seal again and closed her eyes, concentrating. "Henge!" she whispered, focusing the change at that moment.

Something did feel a little different. Kelly looked back at the mirror. Well. It was... passable? She did look somewhat like Iruka-sensei. Well. Time to head back to class.

Naruto had ended up saving her seat, and he grinned up at her when she returned. Judging by the clock it'd been only ten minutes, which made her five minutes late, but Iruka-sensei only nodded at her when she came in and sat down. Apparently you were expected to need to spend 'alone time' after getting a concussion. Or whatever they thought had happened to Real!Sakura that put her in the hospital. After a few minutes, Naruto noticed.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!!!" Naruto yelled, jumping up from his seat. On the other side, Sasuke muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'utter fucking moron'.

Kelly smiled sweetly. "Someone put gum in it, Naruto-kun; I just couldn't get it out." Naruto looked at Kelly, then at Iruka-sensei who looked like he was going to have a hernia. Slowly he sat down and put his head in his hands, moaning softly. Kelly turned back to Iruka-sensei and continued taking notes. She was gonna have to study to have even a chance of keeping up with Real!Sakura's reputation.

Lunchtime came and Kelly headed outside with the rest of the class, settling herself on a bench and cracking open her bento. Kelly had, of course, taken her manual as well as a small notebook to note down things she needed to remember. She was glad, in a way, that she was naturally good at studying; it made the ridiculous amount of catch-up ahead of her somewhat easier. Alright, she thought, taking a bite of her onigiri, time to practice hand-signs. Wait.... Kelly frowned and looked at her onigiri. Ug. Pickled plum? Gross. Just... gross. She eyed it for a moment, debating whether keeping up her charade would make up for having to eat food she absolutely hated. Out of the corner of her eye Kelly saw Naruto walking toward her and frowned, chomping down, chewing, and forcing herself to swallow. From now on, she swore to herself, she was gonna pack her own darn bento. Naruto, seeing the growing frown on Kelly's face, walked right past her. Well, Kelly thought, at least that meant she'd have time to practice.

After finishing her lunch, Kelly headed back to the bathroom and practiced the henge in front of the mirror- with the proper hand seals, which made it considerably easier- until the bell sounded to be back in class. She smirked at herself, in Iruka-sensei's form. Either Real!Sakura's body had some kind of innate skill, or Kelly freaking _rocked_ at learning ninjutsu. She preferred to think it was the latter. Dropping the henge, Kelly returned to class. She felt a little bit more tired after the practice than she had before the practice, but nowhere near her 'normal' level in her previous body. Back in class, Kelly sat in her previous seat next to Sasuke. Naruto wasn't back yet. The rest of the class filed in, and Iruka-sensei walked in, and Naruto still wasn't there. Oh dear, Kelly thought. Seems that Naruto is off pulling a prank.

Half an hour later, Iruka-sensei brought Naruto in. Wait, scratch that. _Dragged_ him in, tied up. Iruka took a deep breath.

"Tomorrow is the Ninja Academy's Graduation Exam!" Iruka yelled.

_Graduation exam? Tomorrow? _Kelly frowned. She had much less time than she'd thought. _Good thing I practiced,_ Kelly thought as Iruka announced the surprise quiz on henge. Kelly filed to the front and performed the henge on her turn. Iruka-sensei passed her without comment, and Kelly couldn't help but grin to herself. She did, somehow, manage not to brag to Sasuke, though it was sorely tempting. _Rather impressive with only about twenty minutes of practice, huh?_.

Sitting back down, Kelly grabbed the scroll Sasuke was looking at and started reading it, ignoring the dirty looks he gave her. It was a taijutsu manual. _Hmm_, Kelly thought. _My taijutsu probably just sucks rocks, huh. "_Hey, Sasuke, are you done with this? 'Cause my taijutsu is really bad... so if I could borrow it?"

"Hn," was Sasuke's response. Kelly grinned, having become somewhat proficient in Sasuke-speak over the years.

"Thanks!" She said. "I'll be sure and ask if I have any questions." Kelly smiled. She was managing to stay in-character better than she'd thought. To the outside eye, it probably looked like a clever ploy to spend time around Sasuke... when in reality, it was a clever ploy to learn enough taijutsu not to die on her first mission.

After school, Kelly returned home to drop off her bento box and tell her mom she was going to train, packed some food, and headed off. Somehow she found her way to an unused training ground, where she re-opened the manual she'd borrowed from Sasuke and started going through it. The first exercise in it was a punch. She sighed, positioned herself in front of the dummy, and began punching it, waiting for the inevitable pain to take over her entire body.

To her surprise, it didn't. She grinned. Sure, part of it was probably the new body, but she just knew part of it was actually having directions on how to punch. So Kelly punched, switching arms, until she couldn't really feel her arms anymore, took a small snack break, and started in on kicking. Having a healthy body was gonna be the best fucking thing _ever_.


	2. Make sure you're the one taking the bets

**Disclaimer: It would be called "Gaara". Just saying.**

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_If you want to rule the world, best to try the inconspicuous approach._

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As it got dark, Kelly realized that if she didn't return home soon, she was probably going to get lost, and that would look... really bad, when it came to looking like a) she was actually Real!Sakura, and b) she didn't have some sort of serious head injury. The doctor had warned her that it was possible there'd been some brain damage, but that it was pretty unlikely. Walking home, she passed the ramen stand, and heard Naruto start screaming about something. Ah, that's right. Naruto went out with Iruka-sensei for ramen, didn't he. Tempting as sitting down and joining them for Ramen was, Kelly didn't dare get distracted. Also, her body was starting to hurt all over, so a nice long bath sounded like A Good Idea.

The next day Kelly hurt even more, but it was graduation day, and timeline or no, she did rather want to graduate. So she dragged herself out of bed, took a few mild painkillers from the bathroom cabinet, and ate a very generous breakfast while packing her bento. No freaking pickled plums today. Or, if she could help it, ever. In class, Kelly found she'd arrived before Ino again, and sat down next to Sasuke. Naruto was too down to try to sit next to her, and Kelly felt a pang of guilt over sitting next to Sasuke instead of Naruto... but she did have to return the manual, after all.

"Thanks," Kelly said, handing it to Sasuke. She'd copied down the rest of the manual after she'd gotten home- which had been difficult, considering the state of her hands. Sasuke's eyes lingered slightly on the tell-tale bruises and scrapes on Kelly's arms and hands and Kelly found herself blushing. She quickly averted her eyes to the front of the classroom. No way in _hell_ was Kelly going to get a crush on Sasu-gay. There was a thin line between liking the Narutoverse and being a total Narutard, and Kelly was pretty sure crushing on emo-freak was going to push her far, far over the line.

But she did fully intend to earn the bastard's respect. That was just a given, right?

After Iruka-sensei announced the subject of the test (bunshin no jutsu, like it was supposed to be), Kelly spent her time ignoring Sasuke and practicing the hand seals, while picturing herself passing the test with flying colors. She'd done it just fine yesterday. No reason not to pass today.

When Kelly was called up for her turn, she suppressed her nervousness, and somehow managed to drum up the two clones. "Congratulations!" Iruka-sensei said, handing her a forehead protector. In disbelief, Kelly smiled and thanked him, tying it over the red ribbon as she headed back to class. She'd actually... passed. Grinning to herself, she returned to her seat next to Sasuke, who'd moved on to reading a manual on... Kelly leaned in, unconcerned about his personal space... concealing techniques. She sighed inwardly, but just frowned slightly outwardly. Yet another subject that she'd have to learn. Kelly pulled out her notebook, aware that she read about twice as fast as Sasuke, which was more than enough time to both read over his shoulder and copy the book verbatim. Reaching the end of the book shortly before the end of class, Kelly drew back and reviewed what she'd learned. Some interesting things about where the eye is drawn, how to tell what branches will support your weight, and a whole lot of charts that she was gonna have to try and memorize later.

As Kelly walked out of class at the end of the day, fully intending to go home, eat, and train some more, she was caught by her mother and father, who started babbling about how proud they were of her and the special foods they were going to make. Kelly cringed inside, trying to keep a daughterly smile on her face, as she saw Naruto sitting by himself on the swing. Well, not much she could do. If she comforted him too much, he might not pass later tonight, after all.

The next few days, Kelly felt impatient. There was a break of a few days, between graduation and being assigned the team, and while Kelly was thankful that she was able to train (she'd settled into a routine of one day bookwork and a few laps around Konoha, the next day taijutsu) it was also hard to wait. She played the next parts of the series over and over to herself in her head while she practiced all the things she'd never been able to do in her old body. The obvious ninjutsu, but other things, like tree-climbing, wading through creeks without falling, falling without getting hurt, throwing kunai...

* * *

The day finally came to be assigned their groups. Kelly got up extra-early to go to the school, ignoring Ino who tried to engage her in argument, fingering her notebook. It had the obvious notes she'd taken, jutsu she was memorizing, and she'd also written out notes on the order things were supposed to go in in double-coded code. She wasn't dumb enough to think that announcing to everyone that she knew the future was a good idea, but she also didn't want to forget anything.

They assigned the groups the same way as in the manga, which made Kelly exited. She hoped it just looked like she was exited to be in the same group as Sasuke. And she tried to ignore the glares of the girls that hadn't had the nerve to sit next to Sasuke. _Sometimes girls are just dumb_, she thought. She knew that in Canon, Real!Sakura spent the whole time sending shy glances towards Sasuke and internally squealing. _Fuck that,_ Kelly thought. _I'd like to not look like a complete moron in front of Kakashi._ Accordingly, she brought out her notebook and started reviewing, wishing Sasuke had brought another book. Sakura had books, but Kelly found that most of them were... boring. Ninja rules, history books that she knew probably had very little of the real story, lots and lots of fashion magazines. Stories of famous kunoichi. Oh, and a camera. Kelly brought the camera today. She had... a lovely blackmail plan. As Naruto grumbled, Kelly took the camera out, grinning. She took the lens off the camera and took a picture of Sasuke, who ignored her and glared in front of him. This was the last straw for Naruto, who got on the desk in front of Sasuke and started glaring at him. Kelly bitched at Naruto a bit, fingers ready to capture the pictures. _Wait for it..._ she thought.

"Really? No way!" laughed the kid sitting behind Naruto, leaning his elbow back. Kelly put her eye to the camera and clicked, as if she totally didn't know that Naruto was gonna be shoved into Sasuke. Then she pulled the camera down.

"Naruto! What the hell are you doing?" Sakura bellowed, pulling Naruto off Sasuke and shoving him back in his chair. "Fucking pervert!" She yelled at Naruto, suppressing her grin. She'd captured the infamous kiss on camera. Speaking of- Sakura took the camera and snapped another picture of Sasuke.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, you should take a picture of me!" Naruto grinned, looking nervous. Kelly turned around.

"Why should I take a picture of you?" She asked curiously, sitting down.

"'Cause I'm gonna be the Hokage one day! And you can brag that you knew me!"

Kelly tilted her head to one side. "Okay, I'll take a picture of you-" Naruto cheered "-if you take a picture of me and Sasuke." At that, Naruto pouted. Kelly handed him the camera. "Get both of us in it, or I'll know." Kelly put her arm around Sasuke. "Sasuke, turn and face the camera before I make you."

Sasuke 'Hn'd but turned his head slightly, scowling slightly. Kelly smirked as Naruto took the picture. Sitting back in her seat, she took the camera back from Naruto and snapped a picture of him before he could strike a pose. Just then, lunch was announced.

Kelly headed out to the park bench, reading over her notes on hiding and eating her bento.

"What a large, charming forehead," a familiar voice broke out. "Makes me want to kiss it." Kelly raised her head in disbelief. How, oh how, had she managed to forget that incredibly cheesy line.

Kelly ran her hand through her hair. "Sit down," she ordered. Naruto, disguised as Sasuke, sat. Kelly took Naruto's hand, closing her hands around his wrist. She didn't want him running off too soon. "First off, Naruto-" Naruto tensed and released his henge looking guilty, "It's just wrong to disguise yourself as someone else to take advantage of things like that. Second, it's kinda dumb. If you were all cute and romantic and made me fall for Sasuke, wouldn't that make me like you even less?"

Naruto looked confused. "Um..." Kelly looked at him, trying to make her expression look hurt rather than amused. It seemed to be working. "I'm... sorry, Sakura-chan."

Kelly smiled. "Besides, Naruto, girls are mostly impressed by strength, so shouldn't you spend time training?"

Naruto looked down, looking confused, then slowly a grin broke out on his face. "Say, Sakura-chan, does that mean you'll train with me?"

Kelly sighed. "Sure. If-" She raised her voice before Naruto could start cheering "you convince Sasuke to join us." Naruto scowled, and then a pained expression cam on his face. Kelly released her grip and Naruto ran on muttering something about the bathroom.

A few moments later, Sasuke walked over, looking distracted. "Hey, Sasuke, just the person I wanted to talk to-" Kelly began. Sasuke didn't even make eye contact.

"I have to go," he said, "Where's Naruto?"

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Honestly, the two of you... Well, Sasuke, if you're curious, he used henge to look like you so that he could make a move on me."

Sasuke looked at Kelly.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Kelly grumbled, "And I'm _not_ gonna tell you where he went off to because, honestly, I'd prefer my team-mates not to beat each other up all the time. Also, I think me catching him the act was far more embarrassing then you losing your cool and beating on him would be." Kelly stood up. "Walk back to class with me and we can spend some time studying."

"I don't have time for that," Sasuke said, dismissing her.

Kelly stood up and caught up with him. "So, let me get this straight. You would rather spend time goofing off with Naruto than training your mind and becoming a stronger ninja."

_Oh, that did it_. Sasuke glanced back at her with narrow eyes, but headed back to the classroom next to Kelly. _Thank goodness for my reputation of booksmarts,_ Kelly thought.

Back in class, Kelly wrote two copies of a test based on the concealing techniques manual she'd copied off of Sasuke and handed them to the two boys. Ten minutes later, Naruto and Sasuke handed them back to her. Kelly sighed. Sasuke had gotten 80%. Naruto had gotten 20%. Somehow, the two questions Sasuke missed had been the two Naruto got right. Kelly crossed out the wrong answers and handed the boys the other person's test, pinching Naruto into silence when he tried to protest. Sasuke, of course, was just as upset that Naruto had managed to get the answers he'd missed.

The hours went by and one by one every other team's teacher arrived and eventually even Iruka-sensei left. Kelly's hand hurt from writing so much, so she recruited Naruto to practice sparring with her. The boy _was_ pretty strong, at least compared to Kelly, and quick too. It was weird how she could always manage to back-slap him when he pissed her off, but couldn't punch him straight in the face for the life of her. After what seemed like forever, Hatake Kakashi opened the door. Kelly froze, remembering belatedly that she'd distracted Naruto from putting the eraser in the door frame.

Oh well. Maybe he'd hate them anyway?


	3. Preparation is half of victory

**Disclaimer: Much as I love the Naruto-verse, I don't own it. And that's probably ok. At this point, the fangirls are going to be angry no matter what happens.**

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_Being vague is always better than being specific. At least you have a margin, and you're often right._

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Kelly sat on the roof with her new team-mates.

"Alright, introduce yourselves," Kakashi began.

Kelly mentally crossed items off her checklist. _What do you want to know. Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams... Kakashi gives us utterly useless information...Naruto being a goofball... Sasuke being a complete emo, and I have to try and look surprised that he wants to kill his brother, ok now my turn. _

"My name is Haruno Sakura," Kelly began, finding it strange to introduce herself as someone other than Kelly Wiseman, "I like training and studying ninja manuals. I dislike... hmm. Lots of things. Late people tops my list today." She smiled winningly. "My goal for the future is to live a life with no regrets," _Woot for using my usual motto,_ "And my hobby..." She tilted her head to the side, thinking. "I guess I have a competitive side." She didn't elaborate, but her eyes involuntarily flicked to Sasuke. _Well,_ she thought, _Let him make of that what he will. Nothing can be done now._

Kakashi looked at Kelly for a moment, his expression unreadable. _Gonna have to get used to reading expressions from one eye, huh? _she thought, _But then again, the muscles around the eye do convey more emotion than anywhere else in the face._ She'd have to check out a book from the library about that later.

"I guess that's it for introductions," Kakashi said, "So tomorrow we'll start our ninja duties."

"Ooh! Ooh!" Naruto spazzed. Kelly suppressed a grin. "What kind of duties???"

"Something with just the four of us," Kakashi said, not clearing it up at all. Kelly rolled her eyes, waiting for Naruto to drag it out of him.

"What? What?" Naruto said, bouncing a little.

"Survival training," Kakashi said ominously.

"Eh?" Naruto said. "Survival training?"

"Ah," Kelly said thoughtfully. "I'd been under the impression we finished training at the academy."

"Well, it's not normal training." Kelly swore Kakashi was grinning. "_I'm_ your opponent."

"What? What?" Naruto asked, confused. Kakashi wasn't just grinning now. He was _laughing._

"What?" Kelly asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kakashi got ahold of himself. "Oh," He said, trying to stop laughing, "You're just gonna freak out when I tell you, is all."

Kelly narrowed her eyes as Kakashi told them about the 66% failure rate. And Naruto flipped out, very loudly. Kakashi was MUCH more irritating in person. _I guess it's different to be the butt of a joke._

"...you might throw up," Kakashi finished sardonically. Kelly forced herself to pay attention and stop ranting. She'd always wanted to know the answer to this.

"_Might_ throw up?" Kelly asked. "May I ask why?"

Kakashi smiled enigmatically. "The details are on this paper. Don't be late." With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. _Darn._

"See you guys tomorrow," Kelly said before skipping off, making a mental checklist of useful items to fake being a ninja long enough to pass a test against Copy-Ninja Kakashi.

* * *

The next morning, Kelly packed three large bento boxes as she ate her breakfast, and slipped in little packets of anti-nausea medication and pain relievers in the sides. She stretched lazily and packed a few scrolls in her pouch. _Reading Enemy Emotions, Famous Konoha Ninja, _and _Survival Techniques Through The Ages. _Frowning, she added a medical scroll as well. Kelly had more medical knowledge than the average person on Earth, but that probably was still less than what Sakura knew. _Well, maybe not,_ Kelly thought, _Sakura is pretty useless until the time-skip. _ "Alright, time to go," Kelly said to herself before heading off so she could meet her team-mates at promptly the right time so they could wait for several hours.

Kelly managed to arrive at about the same time as Naruto and Sasuke.

"What's that?" Naruto asked after the first ten minutes of waiting, pointing at the bag of bento boxes Sakura was carrying.

Kelly smiled. "Oh, I looked up the survival rates of teams, and discovered that, even including the chance of throwing up, eating breakfast ups the odds for success." She handed to boxes to Sasuke and Naruto. "Also I put in some anti-nausea medication and pain meds, since Kakashi-sensei wasn't really specific about why we'd throw up. So I think, if you just eat a little bit over the course of several hours, there will be a small enough amount of food in your stomach that it should be alright."

Sasuke looked at Kelly suspiciously. Naruto looked at her, very confused. She rolled her eyes.

"Eat, Naruto. Just eat ve-ry slo-wly. OK?" She smiled and took a bit of her own bento, then closed it. "Of course, I actually had a real breakfast, so I guess mine is more like lunch."

Sasuke took a few bites out of one of the onigiri Kelly had packed. Kelly entertained the thought of practicing sparring against one or the other of the boys, but decided she would probably be too exhausted to fight against Kakashi-sensei, and pulled out a scroll and started reading.

Several hours later, Kakashi casually strolled up. "You're late!!" Kelly screamed with Naruto. Listening to Naruto ramble on about Ramen for hours on end had frazzled her patience more than a little bit. Kakashi didn't reply, just set an alarm on a tree stump nearby.

"Alright; it's set for noon." He held up two bells on a string. "Your task is to take these from me before the time is up. Anyone without a bell by noon gets no lunch."

Kelly suppressed a smirk. She'd made Sasuke and Naruto pack the bento boxes in their bags and made Naruto wipe with rice from around his mouth. As long as Naruto didn't open his big mouth, her small sabotage should work. Kakashi explained that at least one person was going to get tied up, and Kelly realized that was going to make forcing the boys to work together as a team much harder. Oh. Kelly realized, as Naruto started to try to attack their Sensei, that zoning out like that was going to cause her problems later on. Well, she hadn't slept very well, after all. Speaking of...

Kelly yawned behind her hand as Kakashi caught Naruto and trapped his arms behind him. She forced herself to pay attention, and when Kakashi said "Begin!" Kelly grabbed Naruto, put her hand over his mouth, and hid with him next to Sasuke, who glared at her. Kelly grabbed Naruto's hair at the base of his head with the hand she'd used to drag him over.

"Naruto, I'm going to release my hand, but you need to be absolutely silent or I will get you blacklisted from Ichiraku's," Kelly whispered. Naruto's eyes looked panicked. _Alright, looks like he might actually listen, _Kelly thought to herself. Sasuke, fortunately, was already paying attention. "Now, Naruto, I know you'd probably prefer fighting one-on-one, but... the thing is, I don't really want to go back to the academy, and I don't think I have a chance of getting a bell on my own, right? At any rate... the chances of two of us getting a bell if we work together are much higher than if we work separately. Sasuke, if you cooperate, you'll naturally get a bell, ok? Is that fair on your end?" Kelly looked at Sasuke, hoping he had at least enough common sense to beat out his arrogance.

"Hn," Sasuke smirked. "I won't need any help from you two."

Kelly glared at him. He was being _such a moron_. "Oh, really?" She asked, innocently. "Well, I guess that person Naruto tied up at lunchtime is gonna be perfectly fine against someone who moves faster than Naruto can even see, huh?" Kelly looked at him a long moment. "So, anyway. Sasuke is going to cooperate, because he has a modicum of common sense and I'm gonna guarantee him a bell. Naruto, what do you want to cooperate?"

Naruto looked at Kelly, very confused. "Um.. what?"

"Naruto. If you cooperate with me, I'll rock-paper-scissors you for the bell. That sound fair?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I think we should all rock-paper-scissors for it." _Ah,_ Kelly thought, _so he can use his brain when he wants to._

"Whatever, dobe," Sasuke said. "So, do you have a plan, Sakura?"

Kelly shrugged. "I looked up Kakashi-sensei yesterday. He's known as the Copy Ninja Kakashi, and has learned over a thousand jutsu. I'm not sure if I read this right, because he doesn't seem to be an Uchiha, but another name he's known by is Kakashi of the Sharingan."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Kelly continued.

"Basically, I don't think we're necessarily being tested on our ability to actually get the bells, since anybody with the Sharingan would be able to completely defeat us. We're probably being tested on basic ninja skills like hiding, fighting, and strategy." Kelly looked back and forth between Naruto and Sasuke. "But, I'm guessing that despite what he says, we have a somewhat fair chance of winning. Otherwise, I don't think we'd have been put in this team, with this teacher." Kelly put a slight emphasis on the last part, looking at Sasuke, who seemed to understand that Kakashi was probably the only ninja in Konoha that had the Sharingan, and thus the only person that would be able to properly teach him.

Kelly let the raving idiot and Sasuke come up with a loose plan. It was fairly sound, or at least it seemed sound to her. Even though she was managing to look good at the moment, it was only because she knew about what was going to happen ahead of time. And, fortunately, the plan didn't involve Kelly using taijutsu. Since, you know, she had only been practicing it for a couple days. Thankfully Real!Sakura was pretty terrible with taijutsu too, so Naruto and Sasuke hadn't seemed to notice yet.

After coming up with the plan, Kelly set up some textbook-type traps (more to distract Kakashi than in the hope he might actually fall for them) while Naruto sent out waves of Shadow clones. After she was done with the traps, the three of them attacked Kakashi at once, Sakura from a distance with Kunai, Sasuke up close and with fireballs, and Naruto with... yet more shadow clones.

After the third wave, Kelly felt slightly woozy, and looked over at Sasuke to see him covered in kunai and shuruken, bleeding profusely. Kelly tilted her head to the side. She was pretty sure it was a genjutsu, but Real!Sakura hadn't figured it out right away, and Kelly didn't want to look too cool. "Sasuke?" She said, hesitantly.

"Sakura... help me..." gasped genjutsu Sasuke.

Kelly pulled out her first-aid kit. _Guess it came in handy after all_, Kelly thought. "It's alright, Sasuke," Kelly said as calmly as she could. Considering the realistic bloodflow, not very calmly. Ooh. That was a stump where a hand should be. Kelly fought the urge to puke. "Now, it's just what I read in the book," Kelly said, talking to distract herself from the lack-of-hand as she carefully pulled out bandages, "But supposedly nobody has ever died from losing a hand. Like, the blood vessels constrict so you don't bleed to death." She held the bandage up to the wound, trying to think how the hell she was gonna get the bandage to stick. Seeing the bone...

Kelly thoroughly puked up the bits of bento she'd nibbled on earlier. _So much for not throwing up_, she thought grumpily. Then she turned back to the genjutsu Sasuke... and it was gone. "Genjutsu?" She said, weakly, as if she hadn't known exactly what she'd been facing. "That's a low blow, Kakashi-sensei." Kelly rummaged in her bag for an onigiri from the bento box and swallowed it, desperate for something to replace the taste of vomit. She sighed, the taste of vomit irritatingly reminding her of her old life and her old body. _Still,_ she admitted to herself, _if that'd been a real situation, I woulda probably done the same thing. If not run screaming in terror. Speaking of my teammates..._

"Guys! Regroup!" Kelly shouted.

Sasuke walked over to her and led Kelly to where Naruto was, hanging upside down from one of Kakashi's traps. Kelly was glad she'd read somewhat about traps as she tossed a large branch on the ground to defuse the second trap, and cut Naruto down. "Considering who we're up against, we could be doing worse. But we're gonna have to get him closer to the second batch of traps we set up and-"

Naruto leaned in, sniffing. "Why do you smell like throw-up, Sakura-chan?"

Kelly crinkled her eyes in irritation, then forced herself to calm. "Very. Realistic. Genjutsu. Unless you have a breath-mint, shut up and listen."

Kelly outlined a plan, that basically involved beefing up the things that worked, and fighting slightly closer together to keep anyone else from getting stuck in a genjutsu or other kind of trap. The one Kakashi had put her through had just been vicious. Sasuke, having had a chance to try and defeat Kakashi on his own, had come to the reasonable conclusion that working with the other two was more efficient.

The next five minutes involved much of the same pattern: repeatedly getting close, only to have to track Kakashi down again and again after Kawarimi no Jutsu. Finally, three minutes from the alarm going off, Naruto and Sasuke managed to snag a bell each at exactly the same time. Kelly started laughing at the look on their faces: absolute fury that the other person had done as well. Kakashi glanced at Kelly with what she was pretty sure was a smirk under his mask.

"You're awfully happy for someone going back to the academy," he said lightly. Kelly smiled.

"Hey, the deal was that we're gonna rock-paper-scissors for it, so I still have a 66% chance of success. Or," Kelly amended with a frown, realizing that Sasuke might not have fully agreed with Naruto's amendment to the original deal, "possibly 50%. Still. We did better than I thought we were gonna, 'Copy-Ninja Kakashi'."

"Oh, am I _that _famous?" He smiled at her.

Kelly laughed. "Probably not, but I did spend _that_ much time in the library. Doing tedious research is part of being a ninja too, right?" She paused, watching Naruto and Sasuke bicker. Well, more accurately, watching Naruto bluster loudly and Sasuke smirk and 'Hn'. "Does seem like the team will be a little unbalanced with only two of us though, whichever way you slice it."

At that, Kakashi laughed a little, face turned toward Naruto and Sasuke. "Oh, don't worry too much about that."

"Eh?"

Kakashi turned his face slightly towards Kelly, his eye almost completely closed with the force of his grin. "You all pass," he said cheerfully. Kelly could *hear* a heart in his voice.

"WHAT?" Kelly squealed. "Really?" She couldn't help folding her hands over her chest just like Real!Sakura with the amount of her excitement. Naruto and Sasuke, hearing her squeal, turned toward her suspiciously.

"Congratulations!" Kakashi grinned at them. "You guys pass!"

"But.. but... only two of us got bells..." Naruto said, confused.

"Part of being a ninja is learning to see underneath the underneath," Kakashi said. "That is, see more of the situation than just this surface. I misled you into thinking that simply getting a bell was the object... but the real answer..."

"What? What?"

"Is teamwork. Being able to work together even facing opposing interests...." Kelly internally sighed as Kakashi went into basically the same lecture she had heard a thousand times in the anime. So, even if she managed to make life a little bit more convenient, still had to listen to the lecture.

Figured.


	4. Plan for the worst, hope for the best

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Don't know why you'd think I would. If I owned it, I'd have to spend all my time drawing it. I mean, seriously guys. No manga writer has time to write fanfiction on the side! Plus, if I owned it... well, it'd be called 'Gaara' and set in Suna. And there might be mpreg and GaaNaru yaoi. I mean.... *cough* it'd be *exactly the same*. Yeah.... Wouldn't change a thing...**

***grin*  
**

**

* * *

**_Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there._

* * *

The four ninja headed away from the field. "We should celebrate!" Kelly decided. "Let's go get something to eat. Where do you guys want to go?"

"I know! Let's get Ramen!" Naruto shouted. "I know the best place!" Kelly rolled her eyes as Naruto went on to elaborate the reasons Ichiraku's was the best ramen place ever. The other three ninja just kind of walked in silence and followed Naruto to the ramen stand. After they ordered, Kakashi explained a few things about their new routine as they waited for the ramen to arrive. Like, where they'd meet to gather missions, and how they'd develop teamwork...

"Hmm, it's actually not too bad," Kelly said as she started in on her miso ramen, unaware that she'd completely zoned out of Kakashi's lecture.

Kakashi smiled. "Yeah, that it was," he said. Kelly looked over at him, and then at the empty bowl in front of him. _As fast as the anime_, Kelly thought. _I wonder if I'll really never see his face._

"Alright, I'll let you know when we have our first mission," Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Belatedly, Kelly realized that he hadn't paid his bill. She quickly stood up and put the cash on the counter before walking off. Hell if _she_ was gonna pay for it.

* * *

That night Kelly pulled out all of Sakura's old academy textbooks and skimmed through them. The vast majority of the knowledge was basic education, though, which was a relief. The information that wasn't basic, and that Kelly hadn't figured out, she wrote out in her little notebook, which was almost filled up with terse, tiny notes. Then she headed back to the training ground, replaying the fight over and over again in her mind, thinking of things that could have gone differently. A dodge here, having Naruto send more shadow clones there, more accurately aimed kunai there. It'd been her first fight, after all. Kelly decided that, short of her learning new techniques, basically the best thing she could do was improve her aim. Oh, and she could learn how to dispel illusions better, of course.

Kelly set up a target-board on the middle stump and stood a few meters away, and started practicing, throwing over and over again with the one hand, then gathering up the weapons and stepping back and starting again. After about the fifth round of this, Kelly stopped mid-throw and stood stock-still. Something felt... off. She scanned the area in front of her. It was dark, though her eyes had adjusted to the gibbous moon. Slowly Kelly turned around, scanning the area. Over by the memorial stone was a figure... Kakashi. Kelly wasn't sure, since he was a ways away from her, but it looked like he was... watching her.

"Ah, sorry," Kelly said. Somehow she'd forgotten that Kakashi came to the stone so often... the reality of the world around her was competing, and winning, against her old-life memories.

"What were you doing here?" Kakashi said, his voice too neutral for Kelly to discern his mood.

"Oh, I was training," Kelly said, gesturing to her training board. "I wanted to review what happened today earlier, and I figured it'd be more effective to utilize my sensory memory if I had the feels and smells of the original place."

"Ah. You're very... diligent," Kakashi said, indecipherably. Kelly shrugged.

"I guess. I was... trying to figure out why Naruto and Sasuke did so much better than I did, actually." Kelly scratched the back of her neck, aware that _that_ particular mannerism she'd picked up from anime wasn't very feminine, and wasn't very Real!Sakura like. It was tiring to keep up the facade 24-7.

"You didn't do too badly," Kakashi said comfortingly.

Kelly glared. "Don't lie to me, Kakashi-sensei. What I want to do requires being strong, not just mentally strong-arming my team-mates into doing the work for me."

"Ah, so that's what happened," Kakashi said, realization dawning on him. "Well, that's part of being a ninja too."

Kelly frowned, thinking. "I guess... I hadn't thought of it like that. Still, Naruto and Sasuke were really easy to manipulate, since I was doing it for their benefit anyway. But I don't think that's gonna cut it for missions, and I don't think my book-knowledge is gonna keep me or them from getting hurt." Kelly involuntarily had a flash-back of genjutsu Sasuke, bleeding and gasping for life. "Certainly didn't keep me from throwing up today."

"I might have gone a little hard on you with that, actually," Kakashi laughed nervously.

Kelly stomped her foot. Sure, she was in the body of a stupid little boy-crazy twelve-year-old, but Kelly herself was nineteen and had stared death in the eye for years. Being treated like a small child was getting... very, very old. "You're the _teacher_, Kakashi-sensei. Tell me what I can do to get stronger. Please," she added as a hindthought.

Kakashi looked in the distance, thinking. Or possibly just zoning out, it was hard to tell. "Well... You probably have the least stamina of the three of you... " he concluded, smiling.

He disappeared in a puff (again) and Kelly packed her things, realizing that she had no watch to tell just how late it was. That night, she had strange dreams about carrying around a pluffy Kakashi-doll.

* * *

The next day the three of them met at the bridge for their assignment. Kelly stood at the bridge, realized that Kakashi wasn't there, and realized that he was probably going to be at least an hour late. She then looked at her watch-less wrist. "Ok. I'm gonna go get a watch. Possibly two. Leave me a note on the off chance that Kakashi-sensei shows up before I get back."

Thirty minutes later, Kelly returned, watch on wrist. She'd seriously considered getting Kakashi one, but decided against it. It'd just be a waste of time. Speaking of which. "Guys, it's gonna be like... forever till Kakashi-sensei shows up. Let's practice sparring till he shows up."

She looked at the boys. Naruto looked confused, and Sasuke looked bored. Kelly sighed deeply. "Do I... really... have to explain this? If we practice sparring, we'll get stronger. Obviously."

Sasuke hmph'd. "Like I'm gonna get stronger sparring with you two."

Kelly smiled menacingly. "Sasuke, it's not just about you. It's about the _whole team_. If I'm weaker, shouldn't you help make me stronger? Or would you rather I repeat, verbatim, Kakashi-sensei's speech? Because I can." And she could, too. Considering she'd watched that episode too many times to count. Kelly glared at Sasuke until he hmph'd again and unfolded his arms, then smirked at her. _Of course, the trade-off is that since he won't go easy on me like Naruto did, this is probably going to hurt. A lot,_ Kelly thought as they began.

For the next three hours they took turns, sparring until the first hit landed and trading off. Sasuke actually gave Kelly a few pointers (in the form of insults, naturally) which she was able to use to be able to actually land a hit on Naruto. Just as Naruto stood back, rubbing his nose (Kelly hadn't thought she'd be able to hit it, or she might have aimed for a less delicate part) Kakashi finally showed up.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to help a whale back into the water," Kakashi said. Kelly could swear he was looking straight at her and smiling.

"LIAR!" She yelled out in unison with Naruto.

Kakashi coughed. "Well... anyway, here's our first mission assignment." He handed a scroll to each of them. Kelly opened it and read the description of the mission. Right. It involved... weeding.

At the jobsite, Kelly desperately wanted to position herself next to Sasuke. She didn't have a crush on him (he was seven years younger than her real age) but he didn't reek of ramen and stale something-or-another, didn't babble inanely for hours on end, and overall acted like slightly less of a moron. In her old life, Kelly had thought Naruto was kind of adorable and had imagined being like a big sister to him. To have to listen to him for hours on end made Kelly feel slightly homicidal. Still, Kelly made herself stay within eyeshot of Naruto. He wasn't terrible observant, or good at following directions, and it'd be easy for him to mess up the mission. As she weeded her patch, Kelly caught Naruto try to take an herb out of the ground and sighed. _Sometimes it just sucks to be proven right,_ Kelly thought.

"Naruto!" Kelly snapped. "That's an herb!" Naruto froze.

"Eh?" He laughed nervously. Kelly took a deep breath, forcing herself not to berate him.

"Naruto, we _covered_ herbs in class. Look." She held up a weed. "See how this leaf is flat and fuzzy? The herb in this garden bed isn't fuzzy or flat, is it?" Naruto looked at the two leaves, still confused, and Kelly grabbed his hand. "Look. Fuzzy." She rubbed his fingers over the weed. "Smooth." She rubbed his fingers over the weed. "Got it?" Naruto nodded, a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks. Kelly sighed and went back to her patch. She was glad, very glad, of having a second chance. A healthy body, and if the plot-line held somewhat true, she'd have at least a few more years. Nonetheless, it was frustrating to be in someone else's life. To have a body too young to do anything interesting, and to be stuck having everyone you might actually *want* to have a relationship with consider you terrible jail-bait, and everyone that *would* do something with you waaaay too young for you to consider.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Kelly soon settled into a new routine. Every few days there was a mission- a really horribly boring mission like weeding or babysitting. Some of them were technically the same mission, repeated over the course of several days. It reminded her of the kind of jobs Kelly'd been able to do before she got sick. The kind she'd get muscled into doing because she was a teenager with a strong back and good knees. Days that there wasn't a mission, Kelly'd been training her body until she could barely limp home, and then starting all over again the next day. She was becoming a lot stronger and faster, and her aim with Kunai was slowly becoming something approaching acceptable. The rigorous training she'd settled herself into had caused her to lose ten pounds the first week (a lot for Sakura's small frame), and Kelly had panicked thinking that her old-world illness had somehow bled through, and had eaten instant ramen in her room until she'd thrown it up, which had made her even more panicked. Also, really grossed out, since the Ramen had been kinda icky even _before_ she'd swallowed it.

Then Kelly went to the hospital and told the medic-nin who examined her about what had been going on, and he'd laughed, telling her that it was normal to lose weight if you suddenly started exercising a lot more than usual, and advised eating more calories and protein. Kelly had never felt more embarrassed (and relieved) in her life, and had immediately bought a book on how to train more efficiently.

* * *

Kelly brought the book and a (very generous) bento to her usual training ground and sat down to read it, leaning against the middle training pole. Just as she was coming the the part detailing the kind of weights you could wear (and being reminded of it's effectiveness on Lee) Kelly caught sight of Kakashi out of the corner of her eye. She waved a hand in greeting and returned to her book. It was fairly common for Kakashi to spend time brooding on front of the memorial stone, and for the most part when that happened, the two of them just ignored each other for several hours until one or the other left.

Today, however, Kakashi strolled over. "Heard you were in the hospital. You ok?"

Kelly blinked. News traveled fast in Konoha, apparently. Or, possibly Kakashi was keeping an extra eye on her. "Oh, that. I'm fine. Apparently you need to eat more when you exercise more." Kelly hadn't been trying to be witty, but she caught a ghost of a smile in Kakashi's eye. Oh, to be in a 19-year-old's body instead of this 12-year-old. "Speaking of training, I was thinking of getting some weights to strap on all the time. Any recommendations?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "That's a bit... old-fashioned, Sakura. You shouldn't trust everything you hear in books."

Kelly smiled. "I hear that's the method that your rival Gai-sensei uses for his student, Lee. And I hear it's worked pretty well for him. Got something more effective for me?"

If possible, Kakashi raised his eyebrows even more. "Well, the method I use usually involves learning lots of techniques and using the right technique for the situation, but if you think training with Gai-sensei's team would help, I can introduce you."

Kelly realized she was treading on dangerous ground. While training with that team would certainly increase her stamina, it also kind of terrified her. Then again, Neji was on that team, and he _was_ kind of... eye candy, even in his younger form. Kelly shrugged. "I don't _know_ what would help, Kakashi-sensei. I seem to be improving, but... not really at a pace I'm comfortable with."

Kakashi sat down and leaned against the training pole on her left. "What's got you in such a hurry, Sakura?"

_Oh, I don't know, the fact that we're going on a life-risking mission pretty soon? Or the fact that any day I might return to my body? Or the fact that at any time the plot-line might fail me and the fact that I'm not actually a ninja is gonna get me, and possibly a lot of other people, killed?_ Kelly said none of these, trying to think of something she could say.

"A little bit before I graduated from the academy, I guess I fell into the river and got a concussion. I don't remember the accident, but I do remember waking up and knowing that I almost died." Well, the _almost died_ part was completely true. "I feel a bit like I woke up from a long dream, and I'm not really prepared, and now that I'm a ninja... I won't have a chance to tell what's going to happen during a mission. If something happens to you guys- and I'm not so naive that I don't realize that possibility- I won't be able to go to the library and research the battle. All that will matter is how strong I am at that moment, right? And the fact is that I'm the weakest of the four of us by a very long shot."

Kelly smiled and looked over at Kakashi. "I probably worry too much, considering we're not at war, and the statistics are much more favorable to this generation than they've been in years, in terms of survivability. But it's better to worry ahead of time than throw up while trying to bandage up your team-mates lack-of-hand."

Kakashi winced. "You're never going to let me live that one down, are you?"

Kelly laughed softly, unaware at the moment that she sounded much more like 19 than 12. "I know I'm never going to forget the sight- but that's a good thing. Now I feel like I grasp the reality of the situation. The fact is that war _could_ break out, that we _could_ run into ninja smarter than us and stronger than us, and not preparing for that only increases that likelyhood."

"Are you scared?" Kakashi asked.

Kelly shook her head. "I like to think I'm being realistic."

Kakashi sighed gently. "What's your priority?" he asked.

Kelly tilted her head to one side. "I'm not sure I understand the question. In life? In training?"

"If you're on a mission and it goes sour, what are you going to be most worried about?"

"Oh. The lives of my team-mates."

"Alright," Kakashi nodded, "And what, statistically speaking, is most likely to increase their survivability? Say you're the Hokage, and you're putting together a team with me and Sasuke and Naruto, and you are adding another ninja. What kind of ninja would you add?"

"To increase the survivability? That'd be a medic-nin, right?"

Kakashi looked sideways at her. "Correct."

Kelly bit her lip. She'd had a morbid fascination for medical knowledge for a while, but it mostly was the result of being terminally ill. She didn't really want to deal with that again, or see blood and gore... but it was probably the smartest move. She'd provide the most use to the team... and be able to heal herself. "Alright. Can you introduce me to someone?"

"Sure. Meet me at the hospital tomorrow at eight."

* * *

**Thanks for reading this guys! Can't believe you actually read this far through it!  
**


	5. Even the best laid plans

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Never did. Blah blah blah beans on rice.**

_The truth is a terrible and dangerous thing, and should be avoided if at all possible._

_

* * *

  
_

Kelly showed up at 7:30. To Kakashi's apartment, not the hospital. Carrying a large bag filled with assorted noisemakers, explosive tags, and tracking equipement. She looked at her watch, and then at the door. She had no idea whether this was considered polite, or was against the rules, or exactly what Kakashi's reaction was likely to be, but hell if she was going to wait three hours to be introduced to someone else who had probably waited three hours and was going to blame it on her. Kelly heard something move in the apartment, but nobody answered. She knocked again, louder. This time she knew she heard footsteps.

Kakashi opened the door, looking half-asleep. "Sakura."

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei!" Kelly said in her very-brightest chirp. "I just came by to forestall the many emergencies that plague your life so I'm not late to meet the person you're introducing me to!" Kelly smiled, very wide, and tilted her head to one side winningly.

Kakashi stared at her. Behind her large forehead, Kelly had a very strange feeling that Kakashi was staring at her real, original body. Kelly took a lidded cup from the side pocket of her bag and stuck a straw in it. "Also, I brought you one of the yogurt shakes I made in case you needed to eat breakfast still." She held it out to him. Kakashi accepted it, and opened the door to let Sakura in, sniffing the straw. "I made a list of the ingredents in case you're allergic," Kelly said, smiling. Kakashi disappeared into what Kelly assumed was the bathroom, and she sat down at the kitchen table, looking at her watch. 7:35. She was making amazing time.

At 7:42, Kakashi re-emerged from the bathroom, looking marginally more awake. "You must really want to become a medic," he said, sitting on the edge of his bed and pulling his sandels on. "It's not very wise to wake your teacher up this early in the morning."

Kelly sighed. "I thought it might be better to piss off the person who'd already have a chance to make an impression of me," she confided. "It's bad enough being twelve; I don't really need to add being several hours late to the list."

"You know, I was a jounin at your age," Kakashi said. "Age isn't as important in the ninja world as it is elsewhere."

Kelly frowned. "To an extent, I'd agree with that, but it's not been my experience." _Man do I miss being nineteen. Though, I should probably not be such an ass about it. "_You know, I'm sorry, you probably meant that as a comfort and I interpreted it as an insult." She smiled apologetically.

For the second time that day, Kakashi looked at her as if he saw who she really was. "You really don't sound twelve, you know." His tone was light, but Kelly knew that meant that he was probably very, very serious.

Kelly narrowed her eyes, deliberating. She wanted to tell someone. Of _course_ she wanted to tell someone. But could she trust him...?

Kelly looked down at her hands, which were starting to sweat ever-so-slightly. _I should tell him now, rather than later. At least this way I'll find out what his reaction is faster._ "There might be a reason for that," Kelly said slowly. "But I'm not sure if we have time to talk about it right now, since we have ten minutes to get to the hospital."

Kakashi waved his hands dismissively. "Oh, I told the other person the meeting was at twelve."

"Wow, that was kinda mean," Kelly said, trying to suppress her amusement at learning he'd been planning to be 'late' on purpose. "I guess I totally don't feel bad for waking you up anymore."

He smiled sleepily. "I was still planning on showing up at one, so it was probably a smart move on your part. At any rate, I think that leaves some time for your... explanation."

Kelly swallowed. What she was about to say could land her and her new, healthy body in the Konoha prison. Or, possibly worse, it could send her to her old, sick body. Or, worse than that, it might send her to her old, dead body. Still. Some part of her needed to tell someone the truth. "Well. While I was unconcious in the hospital, I had a dream." Kelly continued to explain the basics of her old life (including her old age) and the fact that she didn't have very many memories of Real!Sakura. Of course, she didn't phrase it that way.

"So, this other life you had," Kakashi said, face neutral, "Do you think you could return to it?"

Kelly shook her head. "Probably not. I collapsed from an asthma attack in a department store without my medicine; by the time they figured out something was wrong with me, got medical help, and the medical personnel figured out what was wrong with me, I'd probably be completely brain-dead. It takes less than ten minutes for the brain to die from lack of oxygen, you know."

Kakashi nodded. He did know, of course. "What do you think happened to... Sakura?"

Kelly frowned. "Well, they tell me that I- she- fell in the river and hit her head on something, and she was in a light coma for a few days. From the way they steadfastly avoid saying anything about it to me, I think she was probably clinically dead."

Kakashi nodded again. "Tell me what you looked like."

Kelly shrugged. "Henge!" and transformed herself into her old self. She'd been pretty, but not beautiful, with dark brown hair, pale but heavily freckled skin, and ice-blue eyes. Kelly looked down and realized that she'd transformed herself as she'd been when she left the house- bruises and all. Fortunately she hadn't been wearing her lucky red Naruto shirt, but a short brown dress, brown striped tights, and suede boots. Kelly had been medium-weight- she'd prefer to have been rail thin, but the doctors warned her that dieting would not only make her feel worse, but also make the medicine less effective.

Kakashi's eyes widened. He'd been expecting Sakura's fantasy-personality to be wearing something flashy and sexy; probably something red. This person standing before him not only looked like an average person... the way she nervously watched him, she looked like it was her own body. Kakashi realized that the person even smelled different. Like... vanilla, and a medicinal scent he couldn't quite place.

"Why didn't you just henge into yourself and walk away?" Kakashi asked.

Kelly hadn't thought of that. "Hmm. Guess it didn't occur to me? I guess I thought the original owner of the body might return, at first. Plus, while I might be 19, the body is only twelve, and I can't hold a henge forever. Plus, this being a ninja village, you guys might have decided to hunt me down and kill me or something."

Kakashi nodded. "Why did you decide to tell me? It seems like you're taking a pretty big risk on your part."

"I'm not really sure why," Kelly replied. "I guess, honestly, I'm probably just lonely, you know? I mean, I wasn't real close to anybody before, but at least I could talk about what was going on in my life. Also, spending all my time with twelve-year-olds got old after a couple of days, you know? But I'm in the body of a twelve-year-old, so that's kind of the choice I have." Kelly looked down at her arm and poked at a bruise absentmindedly. "Don't get me wrong. It's really great to not be dying and in pain all the time. I mean, assuming you don't throw me in the nearest jail or psycho ward, I have a new chance at life here."

"Well, I can't really discount that possiblity, but it's not really likely. You said the hospital checked you out, so legally you're Haruno Sakura. And you don't seem crazy, so..."

Kelly smiled sadly. "You don't believe me. Strange how I didn't consider that possibility."

Kakashi had nothing to say to that.

"It's just... ok, this might be weird for me to say, since I've been pretending to be Sakura the whole time you've known me, but I really can't talk about this and it's driving me kind of nuts. Basically... I haven't been laid since I switched bodies."

Kakashi's face turned carefully neutral.

Kelly continued. "It's not like I haven't gone without before. I mean, not for very long at a time; I'm not exactly a model but you know, I still have it where it counts, but my philosophy was that I may as well get some while alive, you know? But the fact that I'm in another body... well, at first it was more out of respect for the original inhabitant, because I figured she might come back, but it's been a while so I'm guessing it's permanant. But. You know, now it's the fucking age thing, you know? Like, I don't really wanna do another twelve-year-old. I mean, ew, right? I mean, do they even have pubic hair? But at the same time, anyone over 18 is gonna risk being put in jail if they're with me, and even if I wanted to chance that, the kind of people that'd do me that are over 18 are kind of creepy. I've seriously considered doing a henge- as you can see, I've been practicing, so I can hold it for a longer period of time, but I'm not sure my concentration would hold up in the, ah, throes of passion, as it were." Kelly broke off, and tore her eyes from her bruised forearms to Kakashi's face. His face was so far past neutral he looked a little stoned.

"Uh, Kakashi?"

Kakashi realized he'd been staring into the space just above Kelly's right shoulder and brought his gaze back to her face. He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Ok, I believe you... Kelly."

Kelly smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, didn't mean to ramble there." _But hey, if it got you to believe me..._

"Well, first things first. We've got some time before the meeting with your medic-nin trainer, so we should probably give the Hokage a heads-up about all this."


	6. The other side

**Disclaimer: the day I own Naruto is the day Sasuke gets beaten up by Gaara for being an ass, Itachi gets brought back to life and given extensive therapy, and Danzo gets strung up by his balls and subjected to all the tortures repressed, yaoi-deprived fangirls can think of. Not that I hate Danzo with a violent, burning passion or anything.**

**And by the way, cookies to whoever knows the source of my quotes ^.^  
**

* * *

_The grass is always greener on the other side, but there's no grass, at all, on the fence._

* * *

The walk over to the hospital was rather surreal for Kelly. On the one hand, she'd been half-anticipating/fearing this examination/interrogation since she'd woken up in Sakura's body. On the other hand, the streets were so familiar to Kelly a part of her was wondering why she'd even felt the need to bring up her past. It wasn't like she was going anywhere any time soon, and she sure as _hell_ wasn't planning on betraying the village. Flanking Kelly on either side were Kakashi and the Third, thankfully walking in near-silence. It was more comfortable than small-talk would have been. Kelly was rather terrified of what the examination would entail.

Once at the hospital, the Hokage led Kelly to a dark underground room. There was one bare light bulb on the ceiling, and various devices throughout the room. One in the middle of the room came to about Kelly's neck, and was covered with seals written directly on the surface.

It looked like... a giant cylinder, with unreadable black seal markings traveling the circumference from top to bottom. Kelly had a feeling that she'd be becoming quite familiar with it soon. Indeed, after a few moments a tall man that Kelly vaguely recognized as Ino's father, Yamanaka Inoichi, entered the room and wordlessly helped Kelly into the contraption, and then began adjusting various wires and adding paper seals in areas Kelly assumed were considered 'weak'. _Have I met him?_ Kelly asked herself, thinking back. _Oh, that's right. Graduation. So I've actually seen him._

After a moment, Kakashi and Morino Ibiki entered the room, Ibiki locking the door after him. Kakashi smiled comfortingly in Kelly's direction, and she suddenly realized that she was absolutely terrified. Yamanaka Inoichi looked at Ibiki, who nodded, and placed his hand on Kelly's head.

* * *

Kelly woke up in what she knew was a hospital bed. _One day,_ she thought, _I'm going to figure out what the hell they use in hospitals that give them this smell, and outlaw it._ Unable to feel any iv's, Kelly slowly opened her eyes. It was room 305, where she'd stayed for her last treatments. She'd only been in the hospital a month that time, and the doctors had allowed themselves a small note of optimism when they'd discharged her. Had it all been a dream? But... why would she be in _this_ room? Slowly, Kelly sat up, scanning the room. Annoying machine, cupboard, tv, door, bathroom, Ino's dad, window...

Ino's dad? Yamanaka Inoichi? Kelly looked at him, blinking slowly, then looking down at her hands. It certainly felt real enough, if a little fuzzy. But Kelly was used to fuzzy, having been on various pain medications for years. "Hi," she said cautiously.

Inoichi smiled. "Nice to meet you, Kelly." In his hands was one of her Naruto books, off the shelf she'd insisted on having next to her bed.

"N-nice to meet you too," Kelly said, feeling half-guilty, half-mortified. "You... how much of that did you read?"

He shrugged. "All of it, but I won't be able to remember after I leave. Only so much information the human mind can take, you know."

Kelly nodded. "So... you... how much of my _life_ do you know about? All of it?"

"Pretty much. You seem to - understand why I needed to do my job, so you didn't put up the mental barriers some do."

"Oh." _So... why are we talking?_

"I wanted a moment to talk to you before you wake up in the real world. As you can imagine, I don't think it's a wise idea to let anyone else know the specifics of what I've found here, and I wanted to reassure you that I will keep the information safe."

Kelly let out a sigh of relief she hadn't known she'd been holding in. It'd be dangerous not just to her, but to the dimension as a whole, if someone else found out she knew the 'future'.

"Also, Kelly... I wanted to let you know how you came to be here."

Kelly perked up at that. "How?"

"Well, let's start with Sakura. I was actually assigned to her case after she fell into the river. Sakura fell into the river and hit her head, making her unable to get out of it. It took several minutes for anyone to notice what had happened, and by that time she was basically brain-dead. Her parents kept her in the hospital on life-support, hoping against hope that out measurements were wrong and that she was just not waking up. At one point in time I was asked to see if there was some emotional blockage keeping her from waking up, and I realized very quickly that while a small piece of her soul remained, she wouldn't be waking up."

Inoichi placed the manga back on the shelf he'd pulled it from. "At the same time, in your dimension, you had collapsed. Your soul was fighting to return, harder than it usually might, because of your devotion to our dimension. It seems that as your body slowly died from lack of oxygen, your soul decided to try and achieve your goal 'to see the Narutoverse' another way. As it came here, it sensed the proximity of an available body, and placed itself in it. Directly after, you woke up."

Kelly's head was spinning, metaphorically speaking. "So... both Sakura and I are... technically dead?"

Inoichi considered this. "Yes and no. It seems to me that you died temporarily, yes. But I believe that to inhabit her body like you do, you would need her permission. I believe that the small bit of Sakura that was left merged with you. So, in a way, you are technically Sakura, even though your conciousness is that of Kelly."

"Oh. What does... what does that mean?"

"Well, I'm going to recommend that you still be legally considered Sakura. If you had simply pushed her out of her body, and your body was in a coma somewhere, and Sakura had had a chance of coming back to life, I would have recommended that we find a way to separate you two and put you back in your old world, but you signed a Do Not Resuscitate order in your old life, so that would be impossible. Attempting it would simply kill you, and what is left of Sakura."

* * *

Kelly blinked and looked at the room around her. She was back in the interrogation room, and it felt like very little time had passed at all. Well, it wasn't like there was a clock, after all. Inoichi spoke with the Hokage and Ibiki to the side for a little bit. Kelly couldn't hear them, but she could see them. Inoichi was explaining something, and the Hokage and Ibiki were asking short questions here and there. Then the Hokage nodded, a short, curt gesture, and Kakashi helped Kelly out of the contraption. She was shaking, more from nerves than the cold -though the room _was_ chilly- when the Hokage patted her on the back.

"Alright, Sakura-chan," he said, face forming a smile that seemed a little grim to Kelly, "You go to your appointment, and then come to my office afterwards and we'll go over some paperwork, ok?"

Kelly nodded. Ibiki was watching her closely, as was everyone else. _Well, that's kind of to be expected,_ Kelly grimaced to herself. _They're probably gonna be doing that for a little while. _Kakashi placed his hand on Kelly's back and walked her to the door.

"So, I'm still going to learn medical ninjutsu?" Kelly asked as they walked up the hallway.

"Looks that way," Kakashi said non-committal. "By the way... you know that your status is considered top-secret at this point, right?" Kakashi looked sideways at Kelly at that point.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course, Kakashi-sensei. I may be new to this whole thing but I've still got common sense, you know."

Kakashi laughed a little bit. "Alright then, _Sakura-chan_." Kakashi opened a door and walked inside. "Meet your new teacher."

Waiting for them, smile on his face, stood a twenty-year-old man with light grey hair pulled back in a pony tail. He adjusted his glasses. "Nice to meet you, Sakura-san. I'm Kabuto."


	7. There is always a price

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I really feel the need to write fanfiction? Think about it, guys.**

* * *

_The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife._

* * *

Kelly smiled reflexively and tried to keep her breathing normal. Of course, she knew that her heartrate had sped up- her chest was almost visibly thumping. She had expected a nice, normal, bland person to teach her. Not double-crossing Kabuto, who Kelly hated with a passion. And also, now, was slightly afraid of, since if Kabuto had found out about Kelly's soul-body transfer, that would make her a prime study subject.

"Nice to meet you, Kabuto-san," Kelly managed to say smoothly. "Please take good care of me," bowing as she said the traditional phrase. She felt a little bit like she was going to pass out.

"You ok, Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked. Kelly twitched inwardly at the -chan. She had a sneaking feeling he was doing it on purpose to antagonize her, though why was anyone's guess.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Kelly said, an ironic smile having found it's way to her face. "I'm sorry, Kabuto-san, I just was reminded of... something when I saw you, which is just kind of weird." She laughed nervously.

"Oh?" Kabuto said, in his smooth, caring voice. "What did I remind you of?"

Kelly laughed again. "It's kind of weird, when I was a kid... I was out hiking, and I almost stepped on this little white snake. I was startled and I kinda squeaked, and I swear it looked at me like it was amused or something." Kelly shivered involuntarily. "Red eyes, too. Of course, I looked it up when I got home, and there aren't any poisonous snakes around Konoha, so I felt pretty silly. Oh- before I forget, I have something I'm supposed to talk with you about later today, Kakashi-sensei, so don't make me show up at your place again."

Kakashi laughed, with what Kelly could swear was a twinge of nervousness, and left the room.

"Alright, Sakura-san," Kabuto smiled. "Let's see what you know."

* * *

Kabuto started by drilling Kelly on what she knew. Anatomy Kelly had down flat, thanks to the Anatomy & Physiology class she'd taken online last semester. Kelly knew what every bone and muscle in the body was called, and a good deal of what they actually did. Still, Kelly felt as nervous as if she had forgotten all of it. Also, she was trying to calm down, will herself to believe that Kabuto was just as innocent and friendly as he was pretending to be.

After ascertaining what Kelly knew about human anatomy, Kabuto tested what she knew about chakra control and medical jutsu, which was very little. Kelly knew a few things about medicines, and some of the theory behind how medicul jutsu works. So, Kabuto brought out a book for her to read, and showed her the basic medical technique, Mystical Palm Technique. Kelly then proceeded to botch the technique over and over, and finally when she got, Kabuto mercilessly made her hold it as long as she could, over and over again.

After an hour of raising and holding her chakra, Kelly stopped. "Hey, Kabuto-san, is it supposed to hurt when I raise chakra?"

Kabuto looked at her, eyebrow raised. "That usually means the person is dangerously out of chakra. I'm surprised, Sakura-san; I'd thought you had more stamina than that."

"I don't know why you'd think that, Kabuto-san, my stamina is absolute worst in my group," Kelly laughed, confused.

Kabuto smiled. "Oh, really? Is that why you want to be a medic-nin?"

She nodded.

His smile took on a slightly more scary demeanor. "_Well,_ Sakura-san, I think you've got a teeny little misconception there." Kabuto was leaning in, uncomfortably close to Kelly's personal space. "The fact is, Sakura-san, that it's more important for the medic to have good stamina than the other team-mates. After all, without chakra, you can't heal anyone, can you?

Kelly realized, halfway through Kabuto's explanation, that his voice had taken on an almost... silky tone. She was fully aware that he could sense her heartbeat, yet she couldn't stop it from speeding up from the feeling of danger, and the unwelcome realization that she hadn't been _laid_ in months and that, despite being a sadistic, traitorous bastard, he was still somewhat good-looking. _He's not coming on to you,_ Kelly reminded herself, _He's just being an ass. He has no idea, probably- hopefully!- that you're a horny nineteen-year-old._

"Oh," Kelly said, realizing too late her voice was a bit more ragged than she'd have liked, "I guess not."

Kabuto leaned in even further, until his face was only a foot away from Kelly's. "And what are you going to do for your team-mates then?"

"I-" Kelly blinked, unable to think, "I guess I should be more prepared ahead of time."

"And how," Kabuto whispered, mouth inches from Kelly's ear, "do you plan to do that?"

Kelly closed her eyes in embarrassment as a full-body shiver ran through her. "Nn..." As she struggled to remember how to speak, Kelly felt a slight breeze as Kabuto pulled away from her. She opened her eyes again and straightened her spine stubbornly. Kabuto stood where he had before the... confusing... exchange, and other than a hint of a smirk on his face, there was no way of telling he'd been fucking with Kelly's head. Kelly felt a smaller shudder run through her. "How do you recommend I train, Kabuto-san?" Kelly asked, gaining some control of her voice back. "I've been following an exercise plan, but..." _But it landed me in the hospital because I'm a fucking idiot,_ Kelly finished in her head.

"I think I know a way we can kill two birds with one stone," Kabuto said, writing something on his clipboard, as he'd been doing since they started. "I've already cleared some extra sessions with Kakashi-san. We'll be working on chakra control- which you're terrible at- as well as stamina. Make sure you eat a proper meal, Sakura-san; little kunoichi that diet don't last very long in the ninja world."

* * *

Kelly left the hospital in a daze, and almost ran into Kakashi, who was waiting just outside the doors.

"Oh. Hi, Kakashi-sensei," Kelly said dully.

Kakashi put down his book and started walking next to Kelly. "How'd it go?"

Kelly looked up at him. "Oh. Um, I don't know. I _used_ to think my knowledge of anatomy, and even more so my chakra control, was_ impressive_ for someone my age. Or," Kelly lowered her voice slightly, "More accurately, someone in my _situation_. I mean, _hell_..." Kelly had more of a rant planned somewhere, but she was just too tired to finish. "Well, I guess he doesn't coddle me," Kelly finished lamely.

Kakashi laughed. "Oh, are you saying _I_ do?"

Kelly started to shake her head, and stopped. "Actually, Kakashi-sensei, I think you _do_ coddle us more than a bit. I think we have more potential than you've acknowledged."

"Oh, that hurts my feelings, Kelly," Kakashi said softly. "And here I went all the way out of my way to find you a teacher."

Kelly stopped walking. "Oh, that's right, the thing I needed to talk to you about." Kelly looked at Kakashi. "I was going to ask if my..._situation_... was going to be told to Kabuto-san. I didn't think it would, but I thought it might be a good idea to ask, just in case. But..." Kelly felt herself bite her lip nervously. "Well, either Kabuto-san is a very twisted person, or he must have guessed. I might be imagining it, though. But I have the feeling he looked at my medical file, at the very least, and I think..." Kelly's voice trailed off. "Well, maybe I'm just not used to reading ninjas," she concluded.

"Oh? Why do you think that is?" Kakashi asked.

Kelly was about to reply, but realized that her stomach was killing her, and remembering Kabuto's warning, realized she probably ought to eat. "Ug. First things first, I need to eat something before I pass out."

"Ah. Well, can you cook?"


	8. Keep friends close and enemies closer

**Author's note:**** I'll have you know I could **_**feel**_** this story sucking the life-force out of me. But someone (and I won't name names) fussed about me abandoning it, so here we go. Sadly, I can only spend so much time typing before my carpel tunnel starts acting up, so it's been pulling precious time and energy away from my other stories ^-^ Also, I really dislike Kabuto, but I can't deny he's interesting to write. Oh, and to answer a question- I have avoided giving Kelly a specific illness in her old life because I'm a mild hypochondriac and I don't want to think I have cancer for a week. *grin* **

**Disclaimer:**** Don't own Naruto. I don't really own Kelly either, apparently, since she seems to have a mind of her own. Stupid OC's.**

* * *

_Fight fire with fire or you're going to get burned._

* * *

"You're seriously the laziest person I know," Kelly said to Kakashi as they ate take-out Chinese food in his spartan apartment. She had used henge to assume her old form, because while being in Sakura's body was useful, it was also not *her*, and she didn't really want to forget her old body yet. Also, it was easier to separate the times she had to stay 'in character' from the times she didn't have to with a visual reminder. "All I said was that you'd have to show me how to use the rice cooker. I've never used one, you know."

Kakashi shrugged, pretending he wasn't smiling beneath his mask. "A person can change their mind, you know. All _I_ said was that Chinese food sounded good."

Kelly laughed and rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. You know," she said, changing subjects, "I'm really glad I didn't try to keep pretending I was Sakura. At least, not to you and the Hokage. I think getting tripped up by not knowing how to use a rice cooker would have been a really mortifying way to go."

Kakashi set down his chopsticks. Somehow, he managed to eat even Chinese food without letting Kelly even getting a glimpse underneath his mask. "Maa, I think you'd have figured it out."

"Oh. Speaking of figuring things out, do I act my age? Like, _my_ age? Because I think Kabuto-san was messing with my head earlier."

"Mmm? How so?" Kakashi asked.

"Hmm. Well, he was talking about how medics need chakra, and I mean, the way he said it, it was kinda suggestive."

"Really?" Kakashi said, in a tone that said _I find that hard to believe._

Kelly scowled at his nonchalance. She'd found Kabuto's behavior excessively disturbing.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Well, Kelly, he probably wasn't coming on to you, if that's any reassurance. The only thing I can think of is he was trying to... get into your head and motivate you to... be a better ninja."

"Oh, come off it," Kelly said, irritated. "You guys actually do that? I mean, just when I think I understand ninja, I learn that apparently blatant invasion of person space is considered to be... _training_."

Kakashi shrugged, and pulled out his Icha Icha. Kelly smiled and leaned in over his shoulder. "Is it a good book?" She whispered mischievously, an inch from Kakashi's ear. Kakashi glared at her with his one eye. "It's strictly seventeen and older, _Sakura-chan."_

Kelly twitched. Now she _knew_ he was messing with her. "Ug. In my culture we don't even *use* suffixes for names, you know that?" Still leaning on the chair, over Kakashi's shoulder, Kelly turned her gaze back to the book. "Goodness, Kakashi, wouldn't that be painful?"

He shrugged, the movement causing his shoulder to brush into Kelly's chest slightly, "Probably, but she's a medic-nin. I'm sure she can heal any damage that might occur."

"Speaking of medic-nins, I guess I'd better have a second serving," Kelly said, returning to her seat and shoveling more food in her mouth.

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, sounding perfectly innocent. "Did Kabuto-san tell you to gain some weight?"

"Ha-ha," Kelly said. "He told me that 'little kunoichi who diet don't last very long in the ninja world'. I mean, I can understand what he means, but I don't really diet, so it's kind of insulting."

Kakashi shrugged. "You may not diet, Kelly, but Sakura was known for it when she went to the academy."

"Hmm. What was Sakura like, anyway?"

"Maa... she was obsessed with Sasuke, like half the girls in her class. Best written test scores in her class, and stubborn. Like you, in that way." Kakashi turned the page of his book, apparently done.

"Like me in what way? Books smarts, or stubbornness?"

"Both," Kakashi said. "She was also polite... and didn't like Naruto."

"I like Naruto just fine," Kelly said, feeling a little guilty as she poked at her food with the chopsticks. "It's just... he smells so strongly of _ramen_ all the time, and he talks _all the time_. And he's obsessed with me, which makes me feel guilty, because I'm not the person he's obsessed with, you know."

Kakashi shrugged. "That person's dead, Kelly. No reason for you to feel guilty about it- you aren't the one who killed her, after all."

* * *

_I might _still _kill her body though,_ Kelly thought as she balanced upside down from a tree branch. She was training with Kabuto- or, rather, _she_ was training, and Kabuto was doing some paperwork he had brought to occupy himself. Like in the anime, the first chakra control exercise Kabuto showed her was climbing up a tree. Kelly had managed it about as well as Real!Sakura had, getting all the way up to the first large branch and then standing upside down. She'd expected Kabuto to be pleased- after all, Naruto and Sasuke had taken all day, which Kelly figured was the norm. To get it on the first time- impressive, right?

But, no. Kabuto hadn't even raised an eyebrow when she did it, instead informing her that her task was to stay upside down as long as possible. So far, Kelly had counted to 100 three times, and she was losing feeling in her body. Also, her face felt like it was going to explode from all the extra blood sitting there...

Kelly came to lying on the ground, Kabuto healing something on the head. "I... passed out?" She asked, confused. She'd felt mostly fine, from what she could remember.

Kabuto laughed gently. "Sorry about that, Sakura-san. I needed to test your baseline endurance, but I guess I didn't take into account how stubborn you are."

Kelly sat up slowly, raising her eyebrow at Kabuto. He smiled at her.

"I led you to believe that the test was only for your chakra control and endurance, but being upside down also tells me a lot about your physical endurance. Being upside down like that puts a great strain on the heart and blood vessels- though that can, of course, be improved through training." Kabuto handed Kelly a small white pill. "I'd like you to take this during your training sessions with me. It's a medicine that has the side effect of making chakra control much more difficult. This will not only force you to use your physical body more, but will allow you to improve your chakra control even more." He motioned for her to swallow it.

Kelly did, almost smelling rather than tasting a hint of something like corn starch on the way down."I have to take medicine to train? Why?" Kelly asked. Kabuto shrugged.

"You have an unusual imbalance, actually. Your chakra _control_ is at a jounin level, but your chakra _level_ is barely genin level. In addition, your knowledge base is considerably higher than your stamina level. What this means is that all the medic-nin exercises that you have the chakra level to do are not going to be at all challenging, and the ones that would challenge your intellect require far more chakra than you have at your disposal. It's actually a similar problem to what I'm going through at the moment, actually."

"Your problem?"

Kabuto smiled and pulled out his deck of cards. "I'll show you. These cards are designed to respond to my chakra." He pulled out two cards and set them down, activating them. The cards showed Sakura and Kabuto. "As you can see, while I am a medic-nin, I'm still just a genin like you." He pointed to different spots on the card as he spoke. "I'm much more balanced than you are- my stamina is higher, my chakra level is higher, by my control is lower than yours, and I test much lower than you do. What this means, Sakura-san, is that if you can increase your stamina to at least an average level, along with your chakra level, you'll probably surpass me in no time."

Kelly blinked. "I find that hard to believe, Kabuto-san." Well, to be more accurate: She already knew better. "I think you're probably selling yourself short."

Kabuto shook his head. "Probably not, Sakura-san. I'm 20, and this is the level I'm at after years of training. I'll be lucky if I pass the next chuunin exam. You, however, are twelve. I don't think it's going to take you eight years to get to the level I'm at. Actually, I should probably apologize to you: I was pretty rude to you the other day. I guess I was a little jealous," he finished, laughing.

_So that's how you're going to play it?_ Kelly fought to bite back the sarcastic comments that floated to the front of her mind, and instead brought out the book she'd been reading. She'd marked it up heavily as she'd read it last night- scribbling notes and questions in the margins. It had been her petty way of getting back at Kabuto for being a jerk, and while she felt a little immature as she opened it and turned the pages to her first question, she also felt vindicated. Before she asked the question though... "I'm sorry, also," Kelly said. "I guess I shouldn't have compared you to a snake. It occurred to me later that a lot of people would take that as in insult, and it didn't occur to me. I guess in a way it was actually meant as a compliment, because ninja are supposed to be composed and scary, right?" She laughed nervously. "Anyway- I finished the book, but I had a few questions."

The next few hours were interesting. Kelly started off with fairly easy questions, which Kabuto answered with ease and Kelly scribbled down the answers. As time went by the questions became more difficult, and in-depth. Kelly found herself slipping into her college persona- always wanting to know _more_, wanting concrete examples to theoretical answers. Kabuto started to look slightly irritated, and started trying to defer answering, claiming he wasn't sure. Kelly remembered when Kabuto had said, in the anime, something to himself about having to leave the chuunin exam before his true nature showed. So Kelly did the same thing she did in class when teachers didn't want to answer an embarrassing or complicated questions. She made up possible answers on her own, baiting them. Today, she was baiting Kabuto, and he didn't like it.

After that, Kabuto decided that Kelly needed to practice dodging. If Kelly hadn't watched the anime, and knew that Tsunade did the same thing in her training, she would have sworn Kabuto was just being sadistic.

"Ah!" Kelly breathed as Kabuto's kunai grazed her arm. Predicting where kunai- or any projectile- were going was difficult to Kelly. Real!Sakura would have had things being thrown at her from the time she was little, in childhood games and academy lessons, and dodging them would have been second nature to her. Kelly didn't have that advantage.

"Ah, I got you," Kabuto said, a mask of concern on his face. "Here, let me heal that." He stepped toward Kelly and proceeded to heal the cut. Kelly watched him closely. After he had finished healing it, Kabuto touched it with a finger, testing it. At the physical contact, Kelly twitched before she could suppress herself. She didn't know why, but it'd felt like electricity had run through her body. She hated Kabuto. Hated him. And yet... a fantasy of sleeping with him started playing itself in her head. At that- Kelly jerked her body away from Kabuto and stood three feet away.

"Thanks, Kabuto-san," she said, feeling like she was going to go insane.

"Something wrong?" Kabuto asked.

"I..." Kelly swallowed, blinking. She stared in front of her, and then flickered a glance at Kabuto. "Maybe I should have a different teacher."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong with my teaching?"

Kelly laughed, a short, harsh sound. "Well, that's not the issue, but yes, actually there is. I'm not stupid, Kabuto-san, I can tell you're holding way, way back. Don't worry, I won't tell on you. I'm sure you have your own reasons for wanting to look much worse than you are." _How to say this..._ "But the reason I want- why I think - well, I just think it would be more _appropriate_ for me to have another teacher."

Kelly sighed. "I... well, I don't have any _proof_ of anything. I wanted to see what your reaction was, which is why I made the snake comment, and you- you were totally out of line. And then today, you're acting like nothing happened, but I just don't think I'm the kind of person that can deny something like that. I tried, because- I wanted to learn from you, but you're so afraid that I'm gonna figure out _what I already know_ that-"

"What do you already know?" Kabuto asked softly. His expression was firm, but unreadable. Or at least, it would be, if Kelly hadn't spent so much time reading books on understanding facial expressions to figure out Kakashi. So, to Kelly, the tension in Kabuto's eyes read as one thing, loud and clear: anger.

So she smiled. "I've told Kakashi-sensei enough of my suspicions that he'll piece it together if I disappear, Kabuto. Also, like I said, I _don't have any proof_, so I don't have any plans to go to the authorities. In fact, I'm not going to say it out loud, if that's any consolation. But- Kabuto- your big secret, the one your every action ultimately comes down to defend, is not a secret from me. I know. I'm not gonna tell you how I know, because I may need to rely on the method I use to gather information in the future."

"What do you want?" Kabuto looked suspicious, and Kelly knew he had serious doubts she was telling the truth.

Kelly shrugged. "What _I_ want? I want to be a very strong ninja. I want to be healthy, and strong, and support my team mates. It's pretty freaking simple." She paused. "The other reason I'm not going to tell your secret, Kabuto-san, is- well, have you ever heard the saying, 'Better an enemy you know?'"

He smiled. "Is that like the saying, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?"

"Yes," Kelly nodded, a sober expression on her face. "I consider myself a loyal citizen of this village, and I know that your... _friend_... is not. In fact, he is probably the person with the strongest ability to destroy this village. I also know that you're loyal to him to the point of insanity, and don't try to deny it, because you acted completely insane yesterday, and that was just from being teased by a 12-year-old genin. And the fact is, I'm not the kinda girl that plays with fire for the heck of it."

Kabuto looked at Kelly with an expression she was coming to fully recognize: as if he was seeing her for the first time. "I was actually trying to train you, you know."

"I find that hard to believe. I could taste the corn starch in that pill you gave me. Either it was a placebo, or you went to the effort of making it look like one."

Kabuto blinked at Kelly. "You're far too sharp for a genin."

"I wanted to stay in the same class as Sasuke," Kelly shrugged. "I have long-term plans that involve him." Technically true, but not quite the way Kabuto probably thought. "So, why did you go to the effort to make it look like a placebo?"

"What are these long-term plans of yours for Sasuke?" Kabuto asked, looking amused.

Kelly squinted her eyes at Kabuto, thinking. "Was it a game? See if the little genin notices your little joke? I bet you do things like that all the time, just to keep yourself amused."

Kabuto didn't react, which was reaction enough for Kelly. She'd guessed right, from the way his eyelash had ever-so-slightly flickered when he blinked. Even a ninja only has so much control over his autonomous facial muscles, after all.

"Professionally, I want to help Sasuke achieve his goals- including reforming his clan. Personally, I'd like to keep an eye on him as he grows up, and if he stops being such an ass I think I'd like to date him at some point. He's strong, and doesn't smell like ramen, and he's very attractive. If I wanted to have children at some point, I couldn't invent a better father." As Kelly spouted the lie she'd thought up long ago, she realized that it might not entirely be a lie. Sasuke was very attractive, even for a 12-year-old, and as he grew older and Kelly got used to kind of being 12 herself, they might make a good match. Kelly had always liked no-nonsense kind of people.

As Kelly watched Kabuto's reaction to her statement, she realized she might have made a mistake. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about the way Kabuto seemed to be filing away the information gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Kabuto seemed to come to a decision with himself. "I think I'm going to go out on a limb and trust you, Sakura-san," he said, almost smirking, "And I think, if you'd still have me for a teacher, I'd really enjoy training you after all."

"What do you mean, if I'd still have you? Aren't you going to- blow me off, or threaten me, or something?"

He laughed, and from the slight sarcastic tinge Kelly guessed it was a real laugh. "No- I was thinking about what you said, Sakura-san, about keeping enemies close. It's actually very good advice, you know. If I train you, I'll know your abilities and be able to keep an eye on you."

"So you're going to... actually train me?" Kelly asked, half disbelieving what she was hearing. "No holding back, no messing with my mind?"

"I won't hold back on you anymore- though you'll probably have times when you regret that," he grinned, "But I reserve the right to mess with your mind. After all," he continued, ruffling her short pink hair, "It's kept in such a very cute head, after all." With that, Kabuto formed a hand seal and disappeared, leaving a scroll in Kelly's hand. It had a list of books to read and a time and location, presumably for their next training session.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note****: Thanks for the comments and favs ^.^**

**Disclaimer:**** If I owned Naruto, it would be called Gaara.**

* * *

Kelly stood with team Seven in the mission-room, watching the Daimyo's wife snuggle Tora the cat, cooing obnoxiously. She suppressed a sigh. The Hokage looked at them with a slight smile, and started listing off possible missions.

"Hmm. Kakashi's team seven, your next mission is... hmm, Babysitting an elder's grandson, shopping in the next village, potato digging..."

"Hmm, shopping in the next village sounds kinda fun," Kelly said, smiling to Naruto. "It's low-profile, but we've never been out of Konoha before..."

Naruto looked at Kelly like she was daft. "No way!" he screeched. "It's so boooring! We need to do something cooler!"

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Says the man who keeps messing up our freaking D-rank missions. How can you get _weeding_ wrong?"

"But! But! It's just wasting my potential! We need to do something better! You know, a more incredible mission!"

"You idiot!!" Iruka-sensei broke out, and Kelly relaxed her attention a bit as he followed the same speech she'd heard a million times. It was comforting when things went according to plan even if she changed her role a little bit. Kelly occupied her attention by reviewing the chapter headings of her healing manuals. While she hoped she wouldn't _have_ to use the information, it was highly unlikely that Kelly had gotten strong enough to change the outcome of the Wave Country mission. Fortunately for her, Sakura doesn't actually have to use any ninja techniques at all, so Kelly figured things could only improve. According to her map of the Narutoverse, Wave Country was roughly the same distance from Konoha as Suna was from Konoha, and Suna was three days away. So it rather stood to reason that Wave country would be three days away too. Kelly broke herself out of her calculations when Tazuna walked- well, more accurately, stumbled- in the room, proceeded to insult the kids, and insisted on 'Super' protection.

Kelly found herself suppressing a yawn as Kakashi gave them an hour to pack and be at the main gates.

"I really need to sleep more," she said to herself aloud as she dropped by the hospital and left a note for Kabuto to let him know she'd be gone on a mission. One of the nurses looked at Kelly, concerned, and she forced herself to smile as she walked outside and to her apartment. Kakashi, it seemed, was heading the same way; which wasn't terribly surprising as their apartments were on the same block.

"You worried?" Kakashi asked casually. "Looks like we might actually get some action pretty soon."

Kelly shrugged. "If I can get a punch in on Naruto, it's pretty unlikely that a bunch of robbers are going to be able to harm me. Plus, I totally made Naruto show me his Kage Bunshin- so if worse comes to worse I could always make a bunshin or two and run like hell."

"Ah, did he now," Kakashi mused. "How many can you make?"

Kelly snorted. "Like, five. I'm no Naruto, that's for sure."

"Few people are. Are you bringing your medical gear?" Kakashi asked.

Kelly looked at him. "D'ya want to help me pack?" She asked, half-sarcastically.

Kakashi smiled as if she'd extended a genuine offer. "Sure, can't let any harm come to my cute student."

Kelly sighed as she opened the door to her apartment. The place was clean, but that had more to do with her unwillingness to rummage through a dirty apartment when she really wanted that scroll/shirt/weapon that second. "Well, it's my first time out of the village, so I guess it can't hurt to let you help me pack, though I'm half afraid you'll stick an Icha Icha in there." So saying, Kelly pulled out her travel backpack, gave it a cursory inspection to make sure it was still waterproof and acceptable for travel.

"You think you'll be up for this?" Kakashi asked as he sat down and pretended to read his book.

Kelly shrugged. "As you're so fond of telling me, Kakashi-sensei, I passed the Academy graduation, I passed your test, and I've more than pulled my weight in all the missions we've done so far. Plus, you know, I've been studying medical jutsu pretty hard-core, which includes some serious physical training as well."

"Oh?"

"Kabuto-san is fond of telling me that a dead medic-nin does a crappy job of healing," Kelly said, paraphrasing liberally. Kabuto, of course, would never phrase it that crassly. She started tossing items on the bed- weapons, a small grooming kit, clothing, a waterproof bag to put said clothing in, medical supplies, bedroll...

"So you've resolved your... differences with him?" Kakashi asked lightly. Kelly looked at him suspiciously.

"Hmm. I guess that's one way of putting it," Kelly hedged. "I still don't like him, and I really don't trust him, and in a choice between him and any other ninja in the village, he'd lose. But... he's a pretty good teacher. I haven't figured out exactly what _he_ gets out of the deal, but I'm not going to turn down possibly life-saving knowledge over baseless personal differences."

Kakashi laughed softly. "You're awfully paranoid, Kelly. You sure you haven't lived through a war?"

Kelly stuffed the last weapon in the top of her bag, and turned to look at her teacher, henging into her 'original' form. She always felt more assertive in her 19-year-old persona. "Are you sure you _have_? I, personally, am looking forward to whatever lovely detail about this mission Tazuna-san felt the need to conceal by pretending to be a drunk. Also, you've done a crappy job of-"

Kelly blinked as Kakashi rose from his chair in one fluid motion and planted a firm but extremely unexpected kiss on her lips.

"Helping me pack," Kelly finished lamely. She slowly sank down onto the side of her bed, staring up at the man, who had a slightly amused expression in his eye. "Um, mind if I ask what the hell that was about?" she asked weakly.

"Kiss for the road," Kakashi chirped brightly. "Told you I was helping you pack!" And with that, he shunshin'd out of the room.

Kelly stared at the empty spot he'd left behind for a moment. Life had just gotten much more complicated, she realized slowly, unsure of her own opinion. So saying, she picked up her backpack, almost forgetting to drop her henge before leaving her apartment. _You're __**Sakura**__, 12 years old,_ she reminded herself. _Try to act like it._

* * *

"Let's go!" Naruto yelled when they assembled at the gate. Sakura looked at him.

"You're awfully exited," she noted.

"Of course!" Naruto said, a little bid more exited, like he always was when Sakura paid attention to him. "I've never left the village before!"

"Am I really gonna be safe with this brat?" Tazuna bitched over his shoulder at Kakashi.

"It's a C-rank mission," Sakura said blankly to Tazuna. "We're more than sufficient; if you don't think so, you can always purchase a B or A rank mission and get _taller_ ninja for your money."

"Don't mess with Ninja!" Naruto said, interrupting Sakura's bitching. She stared at Naruto blankly, trying to figure out if he was just oblivious or if there was some sort of cosmic corrector when it came to her actions. _Chapter one,_ she thought to herself, reviewing her medical books again, _correcting for chakra imbalances. If the patient is being treated for..._

Sakura stopped her review a few minutes later as she stepped over a puddle, her eyes widening as she glanced at Kakashi-sensei. He was, if anything, overly relaxed. _So he sees it. I'm gonna kill him for what he does next._ As the enemy ninja rose out of the water, Sakura formed three bunshins and formed a protective stance around Tazuna, watching carefully. Sasuke also hardly blinked an eye as Kakashi was 'killed', instead springing into action against the two enemies while Naruto froze completely. Next, they came after her- or rather, Tazuna who stood behind her. Sakura's shadow clones pulled Tazuna back as Sakura prepared to dodge out of the way, but before she could, Sasuke flickered between her and before _he_ could do anything, Kakashi reappeared and grabbed the Demon Brothers.

"Sorry I didn't save you right away, Naruto," Kakashi dead-panned, "I didn't think you'd freeze like that. Good job Sasuke, Sakura."

Sakura looked at Naruto, who was upset, she knew, more from the fact that he hadn't been able to move than that they'd just been attacked. Sighing, she rummaged through her backpack for her medical kit, and flipped through her guide on poisons to look for the likely treatment for the poison Naruto'd just been hit with while Kakashi ran through the situation, waiting for the part where she was supposed to bitch about them needing to go him and get treatment for Naruto.

"...We are now operating outside our duties," Kakashi finished, and Sakura smiled to himself at the finish of his speech. It was time for her to- "Think we should return Naruto to the village for treatment, Sakura?"

Sakura looked up at Kakashi, both to acknowledge he'd spoken to her and to make her surprise at the plot change look like surprise at being asked her opinion. "Well, the poison does need to be drained..."

Naruto furrowed his brow and pierced his own wound with a kunai.

"Naruto! What the hell!" Sakura asked, watching the blood splatter everywhere, knowing that Naruto was lost in his own head and didn't even really hear her.

"With this Kunai, I'll protect the old man!" He announced, trying to sound cool. "We're continuing the mission!"

Sakura sighed and pulled out a bandage as Kakashi teased Naruto about the lack of blood, and then proceeded to bandage the wound. "You're such a masochist, Naruto," she muttered, watching as the wound healed itself. "Just because you recover quickly doesn't mean you should injure yourself on purpose. You trying to give me a heart attack or something?"

Naruto looked up at her guiltily. "S-sorry Sakura-chan," he said, abashed. "I just..."

Sakura nodded, feeling even older than her actual age. "You'll be fine, kid," she said reassuringly. "You can take more injury than the rest of us combined. I just... don't like it."

"Why?" Naruto asked a few minutes later as Sakura started walking with the rest of the group.

Sakura glanced at Naruto. "Why what?" she asked back.

Naruto looked like he was going to say something and stopped himself. "Why- can I take more injury than the rest of us?"

Sakura folded her arms behind her head and looked at the sky for a moment. "Same reason Mizuki-sensei hated you so much," she said cryptically. Naruto jerked. Sakura smiled sadly. "It's an advantage in a life-and-death battle, but it's probably dangerous to take advantage of it too much in everyday situations."

* * *

Naruto apologized to the bunny, and Sakura pulled out her med-kit and rummaged for the sewing kit to stitch up the wound Naruto'd left on the animal. "Don't apologize," Sakura said softly, and drew in to whisper in his ear. "It's a snow rabbit- which means there are ninja nearby."

Naruto froze and looked up at Sakura. She smiled at his silence: he'd learned long ago that if she used her 'serious' voice and he wasn't totally silent afterward she beat the living crap out of him. She grinned viciously, feeling her heart rate speed up in anticipation. "And he's probably pretty damn strong too," she whispered to him, "since Kakashi's super-alert."

"Everyone, get down!" Kakashi announced. Sakura grabbed Naruto and hit the dirt, hoping Kakashi or Sasuke made sure Tazuna was alright. A moment later Sakura felt rather than heard Zabuto's huge sword swing over their heads. She looked up and there, standing on the sword sticking out of a tree, was Momochi Zabuza.

"Fuck," Sakura swore softly at the shiver that ran down her spine. The man _felt_ powerful. The three of them stood up and Kakashi announced his knowledge of thie missing nin. Naruto smiled and moved forward slightly to rush at the man, and Sakura darted her hand out, grabbing his arm and digging her fingers into a pressure point that she knew was causing a lot of pain.

"Everybody get back; this one's on a whole other level," Kakashi said. Sakura frowned and pulled Naruto back by Tazuna.

_Please, Gods,_ Kelly thought as she looked at the people around her and coming back out of her Sakura-persona,_ let them be alright. Let things happen close enough to the plot that we make it through this._


End file.
